Meditation and Yoga as Treatment for ADHD: A Review

Introduction

Meditation is primarily a human effort to take control over the mind's neural networks. It can be practiced through breath control or the repetition of a word or mantra, calming the nerves and bringing the mind to a state of peace with its surroundings. Meditation is increasingly used as a treatment measure for patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is primarily a neurological disorder that results in attention deficits and hyperactivity. "When the attention wanders, the meditation continually refocuses on the meditative stimulus. When strong feelings arise, the meditator notices the feeling and allows himself or herself to be with the feeling as it occurs, observing it until it subsides, then returning to the object of attention" (Astin, 1997). Meditation helps ADHD patients by "restricting the attention to single repetitive stimuli, such as a word, sound, prayer, phrase, and the sensation of breath or a visual object" (Kutz, Borysenko, et al., 1985, p. 2). This further allows the individual to analyze his or her own thoughts without passing judgment on them, transitioning into an acceptance phase regarding their condition (Castleman, 1996).

This paper highlights how meditation — particularly yoga — helps relieve cognitive difficulties in ADHD patients, drawing on current studies that support the use of meditation for a range of medical treatments spanning mental, psychological, and emotional disorders. It is important to note that Freud did not support the process of meditation, arguing that it had a more pathological impact on the patient than a productive one. Because Freud did not practice meditation as a treatment for this reason, his argument will not be given high priority here (Epstein, 1984). The paper focuses on research studies and how investigators have used meditation to achieve positive outcomes for their patients.

"The initial approach usually involves focusing on the breath as a way of increasing awareness as well as going inward and generally relaxing the body. The idea of 'taking a deep breath' is something we all can relate to as a way of transitioning into another place" (Torre, 2001). Kabat-Zinn et al. (1992) assert that the process of meditation helps both the mind and body to relax considerably, allowing the ADHD individual to have greater control over his or her attention span. Once in a relaxed state, the individual can use the technique of repeating a word or mantra, or concentrating on a single candle flame while maintaining steady breathing, to not only initiate attention control but also sustain it.

The Meditative Process

One of the most influential medical experts in this area is Dr. Richard Davidson, whose study analyzed the impact of meditation practice on brain wave activity in ADHD patients. He asserts that meditation influences not only the psychological structure of an individual but also affects immune response.

Importance of Meditation for ADHD Patients

In his study, results showed that expert meditators — whose primary focus was breath control — were engaged for between 10,000 and 54,000 hours, with functional MRI used to examine "the activation of attention-related networks." The study demonstrated that insight meditation activates the brain's attention-related regions, including the "frontal parietal" and "lateral occipital" areas. To analyze the detailed features of attentional activation, participants were subcategorized into two groups: one dedicated to the "MHEM (the most hours of practice, mean hours = 44,000, range 37,000–52,000, mean age 52.3 years)" and another dedicated to the "LHEM (the least hours of practice, mean hours = 19,000, range 10,000–24,000, mean age 48.8 years)."

A limitation of Dr. Davidson's study is that he personally selected the sample rather than applying a general criterion for participant selection. Furthermore, the meditation techniques recorded proved more useful for treating other medical conditions — such as heart disease — than for improving mental abilities in ADHD patients specifically.

Conclusion

The earlier, premature, or childhood causes of attention deficit have not been thoroughly investigated — in fact, they have been largely overlooked. The majority of individuals experiencing ADHD and depression have personal histories that trace back to traumatic events in early adolescence or even earlier. All the identified causes of ADHD and depression have childhood events as their precursors, which is why the analysis of early childhood experiences is vital for understanding the true root causes of ADHD and depression among individuals.